ANNA BECK LEE

Athlete, Cross Country, Track and Field, Softball

Washington High School and PennWest Clarion—Despite unknowingly having stress fractures in both legs, she finished in second-place at the WPIAL Championships in the 800-meters and fourth in the PIAA State Championships. Anna stopped playing softball her junior year and won the WPIAL title in the 1600-meters and placed second in the 800-meters. She earned a third-place PIAA state finish in the 800-meters. As a senior she finished third at the WPIAL Cross Country Championships and 14th at states. That spring Beck Lee won the WPIAL title in the 800-meters and was second in the 1600-meters. She then finished third in both events at the PIAA state meet. She set Wash High school records in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m which still stand today. Competing at the USATF Junior Olympics in the summers of 2000-2002, Anna made the National Championships in 2000 and placed fourth in the 1500m in both 2001-2002 with times of 4:43.87 and 4:43.93. While battling an eating disorder, she earned all-region honors and helped Clarion University’s cross country team place second at the NCAA II Regional in 2002 and in 2003 earned all-conference after finishing 13th at the PSAC Championships. She was also a PSAC Athlete of the Week. In 2009 she competed in her first Pittsburgh Marathon and was the 10th-place female finisher and then 28th at the 2011 Boston Marathon. She qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in 2012. After dealing with a pelvic stress fracture, high tibial stress fracture and a navicular fracture and subsequent surgeries, the determined Beck Lee set the Guinness World Record for the fastest 5k on crutches for a female at the 2016 March Hare 5k while being pregnant with her first child. Her time of 44:20 crushed the previous mark of 49:53 and also beat the men’s record. Continuing to run in various road race distances, she was the first female finisher at The Celebration Marathon in Florida.